Consumer Internet Fraud

Résumé de l'exposé

Fraud and deceptions have existed in every society since time immemorial. These characteristics are an inherent motivation among some people to take advantage of others in economic transactions. There are instances of fraud and deception published in classified advertisements in newspaper, through the mail, on television or via telemarketing. These scams are now conducted on the Internet as well. Since the 1990s, cyberspace has made it easier and cheaper to scam consumers through unsolicited e-mails and proliferation of fake websites. In a way, consumers are now being swamped with the old tricks on a new medium as con artists have adapted yesteryear's scams and adapted them to today's technology. We will begin by examining the qualifications for a consumer internet fraud and its characteristics. Next we will overview the 10 major consumers of Internet Fraud. This will be followed by some guidelines about how to avoid fraud or how to fight against them when a consumer has been scammed.

Extraits de l'exposé

[...] Don't Judge by Initial Appearances. Just because something appears on the Internet, it doesn't mean it's true (The ready availability of software allows anyone to set up a professional-looking Web site). Be Careful About Giving Out Valuable Personal Data Online. When consumers see e-mail messages from someone they don't know that ask for personal data they shouldn't send the data without knowing more about who's asking. (Criminals have been known to send messages in which they pretend to be a systems administrator). [...]

[...] Consequently the losses are huge and become more and more bigger every year. The total loss reported by the National Consumer League (NCL) for the National Internet Fraud Watch Information Center in 2005 was $13,863,003, significantly higher than the $5,787,170 reportly lost in 2004. The average loss in 2005 was $1,917, also much higher than the $895 average loss in 2004. NCL received also really more complaints in 2005: 12,315 compared to 10,794 in 2004, but that does not account for the more than doubling of total loss. [...]

[...] Some online auction sites provide their member with opportunities to provide "feedback" on their experiences with particular sellers. Pay by Credit Card or Escrow Service If Possible. If you charge your online purchase on a major U.S. bank-issued credit card, your liability may be limited to $50 under any circumstances. In the alternative, some online auction Web sites offer escrow services that (for a small percentage) will guarantee delivery of the ordered goods before releasing your payment to the seller. In today's world about 10,000 new Web sites are created daily. [...]

[...] Next we will overview what are the 10 majors consumers Internet Fraud. This will be followed by some advices about how to avoid fraud or how to fight against them when a consumer has been scammed. An internet fraud is any type of fraud scheme that use one or more components of the internet such as chat rooms, e-mail, message boards, of Web-Sites to present fraudulent solicitations to prospective victims, to conduct fraudulent transactions, or to transmit the proceeds of fraud to financial institutions or to other connected with the scheme. [...]